I'm going back to July, 1948 today, the month Toledo's first TV station, WSPD-TV, Channel 13, went on the air. There are 16 more ads today, all from pages of The Blade. There are seven additions to the Radio Station Ads gallery, starting with two Friday, 7/2/48 Peach Section ads, the first ad, for Gasoline Alley on WSPD-AM. The program was sponsored by Ft. Meigs Auto Electric, Gross Automotive Service, Jordanoff Auto Electric, and Siegler Auto Electric. The second ad was for The Wayne King Show on WJR-AM, sponsored by Sperry's Chicken Dinner Candy. There are two ads from the Saturday, 7/3/48 Peach Section, too, the first ad, for The Sports Album with Don Miller, on WTOL-AM, sponsored by Lownsbury Motor Sales, the second ad, for radio programs sponsored by Toledo Edison, The Summer Electric Hour on WJR-AM, The Edison Music Hour on WSPD-AM, and The 6 O'Clock News with Karl Nelson, on WTOL-AM. Next are two Tuesday, 7/6/48 Peach Section ads. The first ad was for Mitch Woodbury's Radio Magazine of the Air, with guest artist, Danny Thomas, sponsored by Kin Wa Low, a Toledo Chinese restaurant and nightclub. The second ad was for Mystery Theatre on WJR, sponsored by the makers of Bayer Aspirin and Phillips' Milk of Magnesia. There's one Wednesday, 7/7/48 ad, in the Peach Section, for Songs by Louise on WTOD-AM, sponsored by Hoffmann Furniture. The other nine ads are additions to the Other Vintage ads gallery, starting with two Wednesday, 7/7/48 Peach Section ads for movies. The first ad was for "The Noose Hangs High" with Abbott and Costello, at the Rivoli Theatre. The second ad was for the movie, "On an Island With You" with Esther Williams, at the Esquire Theatre. There's also a Thursday, 7/8/48 ad, in the Peach Section, for a live performance by Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, at the Paramount Theatre. Next is a Monday, 7/19/48 ad for Coca Cola, sponsor ofClaudia, on WTOL-AM. Coke was only a nickel then and was bottled locally by Lasalle Bottling Company. There's a Tuesday, 7/20/48 ad for GE, RCA, and U.S. Televisions at Lamson's (Congratulations to Station WSPD-TV upon its new television station). The next four are Wednesday, 7/21/48 ads. The first ad was for GE Televisions. The 10" model sold for a whopping $325.00, which was cheap compared to the 3 square foot projection model. It sold for $2100.00. $100 in 1948 would be over $1,000 in 2017. The second ad was for RCA Televisions at McIntires. The third ad was for Stromberg-Carlson Televisions at Gerlinger Equipment Co. The fourth ad was for Admiral Portable Radios, available at over thirty locations in the Toledo area. More July 1948 ads, from online archives of The Toledo Blade, are on the way...

Article originally appeared on Vintage Toledo TV (http://www.vintagetoledotv.com/).